From the press release I quote, “More than 80 percent of the state’s fifth grade students successfully passed the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) mathematics test and more than three-quarters of the state’s eighth graders successfully passed the STAAR reading test, according to preliminary results released today by the Texas Education Agency. The results reflect passing rates for the spring 2017 administration of STAAR in March”

On the surface, these look like very promising results. The reality is that they are subjective in the fact that the “passing standard” is not established until after the tests are completed and scored. After all the tests are scored, then the TEA lines up all the test in rank order and determines the cut line for passing and failing. It is the craziest thing in the world.

In most normal testing situations the “passing standard” is determined prior to testing, but not in Texas. By determining the passing standard in this manner it makes hitting the target very difficult because we are essentially blindfolded and aiming at a moving target.

Texas, where scoring 35% correct on a test equals “passing”. This is just another reason to do away with testing completely. The tests are invalid. The scores are invalid. The passing standard is invalid.

"Dedicated to the premise that no matter what 'experts' say, trends in Education really are fleeting; and that the ONLY goal of all school employees should be to work with parents to help their students become better people in June than they were in September."